Time's Up?
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: AU For Severide, dealing with finding Shay's killer and memorial tribute was enough but now Casey was in the clutches of a serial arsonist intent to kill. Will Severide get to Casey before time runs out? Based on eppy 3.13 'Three Bells' Has some spoilers.


**Title: Times Up?**

**Summary: AU **For Severide, dealing with finding Shay's killer and memorial tribute was enough but now Casey was in the clutches of a serial arsonist intent to kill. Will Severide get to Casey before time runs out? Based on eppy 3.13 'Three Bells' Has some spoilers.

**Disclaimer: **Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for my boys #teamsevasey and of course putting them into danger.

**A/N:** I know I usually update Plan B mid-week but a special request came in and Alice did her best to accommodate. Not that surprised to see Hadley back but I am going to put some bits from this eppy into Plan B. I took a few AU liberties and put Casey in trouble instead. And you all know how much I love my Casey!Whump and Severide!Concern so please enjoy!

NOTE: As 'always' _"words in italics and double quotes taken directly from the eppy." Just italics are thoughts and single is a past convo._

* * *

As Severide walks toward the entrance of the prison, his heart rate finally starts to race fast enough to keep time with his mind.

_"I know that address…there's no way Hadley could have known about that address. It's the address of the fire that killed Mills father and that burned me."_

_"Then…who did this Sir?"_

_Adrian Gish. _Up until now the name wasn't that familiar. _Shay's killer? _It wasn't the title he would have given the shifty-looking Gish by any means. Now? Now he can't wait to find him and just…_kill him. _Severide's mind seethes as he thinks of Gish lurking in the shadows. Watching as the members from 51 all filed into the waiting death trap and then….slowly coming out. Some walking, some limping, one be carried. It wasn't personal. It was business and that made it almost worst. He didn't care at all…he just wanted to watch his own destruction.

_"Back to 1970…he's been flying under the radar for 20 years. Lives in the middle of the hot zones."_

_DAMN THIS BASTARD! _Severide's mind inwardly screams as he nears the table and slumps down. This is the last place he expected to be.

Prison.

And the person walking toward him was the last one he had expected – or even wanted to see, especially in this setting. Actually in any setting.

_Hadley._

He hadn't expected to be seeing his former squad member, turned vengeful arsonist and attempted murderer this soon – if ever again. But something very important hinged on him having to do this – finding and putting Shay's killer behind bars; him being there to get whatever Hadley thinks he has to offer. His mind thinks back to when he first heard Hadley's smug tone when he and Boden stood in his office, hovering over the speaker phone.

_"That fire that killed Shay. You're realizing its arson, aren't ya? Got your attention now huh. Come see me in person. Just you."_

It was for Shay. How could he say no? He can't and for her he'd have to shelve his inner hatred and get the job done.

As Hadley slowly nears the table with the help of a guard, Severide feels his stomach tighten and his mind for a few seconds feels some remorse for basic human suffering. But at the same time he wonders if Hadley won't just tell him to piss off and be done with it. Laughing that he fell for his rouse. Or would he? There are no pleasantries as Severide feels his inner agitation taking over.

_"Well get on with it," Severide states curtly. _

_"I got something in the mail you're gonna wanna see. But first I want you to get me a new mattress. They got these special mattresses for people in chronic pain…and…the warden won't order me one."_

_"Kevin…I'm know the Warden and I'm not the District Attorney wanting to make a deal. What do you want?"_

_"That came out of the blue. I don't know from who. There was no name but the envelope. On the envelop there is a return address and a nice clear postmark," _Hadley tells him as he hands him a newspaper clipping of Shay with a taunting message. _"You get me that mattress I'll get you the envelope."_

As soon as Severide leaves the prison doors he pauses for a minute on the steps to rest and just let his anxiety-ridden heart rate drop back down to a normal level. He sees Shay's face and instantly his stomach lurches. But the day is far from over and in a few day's Shay's professional memorial tribute was forthcoming. He wants this to be over before then. _I need…I need this to be over. _

But there is still lots of day ahead of him and he knows he can't rest until he finds who's responsible. And he would. But not in the way he wanted or hoped for. By the end of the day that also included Casey being hit by a beam and suffering some minor smoke inhalation, his mind is begging…for some kind of mental and physical reprieve and all he wants is to just find a quiet corner, sit down with a cold beer and think about…Shay. Hadley…life…Gish.

That plan however, was about to come to a crashing halt.

Just as he leaves the AI office, Severide pauses on the steps as his phone buzzes and he looks down at Casey's name with a small sigh. _He wants an update…_

But instead of answering a call he sees that Casey has sent a picture. His finger quickly pushes to open the picture but as soon as he does – his heart stops.

_'Time's Up' _is the caption of the horrific selfie – Gish and his captive – Casey. Arson supplies littered on the floor. A lighter in his Gish's hand.

XXXXXXXX

Casey remembers Severide telling him he had to go and see Hadley about some information on who might have been responsible for setting the fire that killed Shay. At first he thought about trying to talk his friend out of it, saying it would only bring up bitter resentment and hard feelings and Hadley was just playing games. But Severide insisted that since Hadley mentioned it was arson and that wasn't in the newspaper he had to go and see what he wanted. However, after Severide returned from his meeting with Hadley the anxiety and stress was written all over his face.

_"How'd it go?"_

_"He said someone sent him something from Shay's fire."_

_"What does that mean?"_

_"I don't know."_

But before they had a chance to talk more about it, the overhead paging system went off and it was all hands on deck. The call was tense and after being hit by the beam and taking in some smoke, he tried to brush it off like it was no big deal. In reality, he just wanted to go and have a shower, a cold beer and just relax. He knows that Severide had gone to the Arson Investigation office and so thinks about sending a text to his friend so ask if he just wants to go for a beer and talk; knowing that Severide's run in with Hadley and then some emotional time with Shay's sister was taking its toll on his usually stoic friend.

However, his mind was so occupied with thoughts about how his friend would fare after meeting with a man that had targeted him specifically and was now possibly connected to a man who had taken away his best friend; he fails to ascertain the danger that is about to strike.

"Hello Lieutenant Casey."

Casey's ears hear the smug male voice behind him but he fails to put a name to the face until it's too late. _Gish! _

Darkness.

He awakens sometime later with a pounding head and racing heart, his mind however, wishing that he had awoken to better circumstances. His wrists are tied above his head to a rusted pipe and his whole body is tense. But as terrifying as it is to be unable to move the pungent smell of gasoline that seems to be permeating every surface around him and every venerable space on him.

"Welcome back."

Casey's eyes flutter and his throat tries to swallow but all that he succeeds in doing is breathing in more of the deathly fumes into his nose. He tries again to take in another deep breath but with his jacket smattered with gasoline and his arms held captive above his head, he is forced to choke on fumes; his lips automatically spitting up some bits of foul tasting liquid. Gish must have splashed the gasoline on him, face and all and when his tongue went to automatically lick his lips the poisonous gasoline was ingested.

His eyes finally narrow as he focuses on Gish and then grits his jaw. "Coward," he offers with a soft hiss.

"Crafty. I prefer crafty," Gish replies smugly.

Casey looks at him in contempt, his exposed skin already feeling the stinging from the gasoline starting to gently burn the tender surface, but refuses to show fear or agitation. _He lives off fear…I won't give it! _But despite those brave words offered internally, from the smell of gasoline that now embraces his captive frame he knows there's a very good possibility that he'll be burned alive. _Who did Gish send the picture to? Kelly? To taunt him? Ah damn…maybe he'll trace the phone. _

"Why do firemen like fire so much? Hero complex? Adrenaline rush? Seeing if you play with fire and actually not get burned?"

"Why do _you _like fire so much?" Casey shoots back in contempt.

"I envy God," Gish taunts in return. "What's it like…to have that rush when you rush into a burning building?"

"Go to hell!" Casey spits before his lungs burn a bit and he coughs hoarsely.

"Were you friends with Lesley Shay?" He asks in a taunting voice as Casey's finger curl into tight balls above his head. His eyes automatically narrow but he remains quiet, not wanting to give Gish anything more to taunt him with than he figures he already has. But that wouldn't be easy as Gish has no regard for human life and delights in the physical torment and mental misery of those he wants to set aflame. All he can do is pray Severide gets to him in time.

"Interesting. If you don't give me an emotionally charged answer then you think that I'll tire of the game and give you some verbal leniency. You're wrong."

"I don't care about you. The police will find you and…"

"YES!" Gish interjects with an angry shout. "They will…but it'll be too late."

"What the hell do you really want? Some kind of exchange?" Casey shoots back.

However, Gish's cold, dark gaze remains fixed on Casey as he lets out a small sarcastic chortle.

_"All I wanna do is watch you burn."_

And following those sick and twisted words, Gish's fingers hold up the lighter he had been fondling the past few minutes and he pushes down, a small flame springing to life.

Fire doesn't scare him and seeing a flame that small he knows…under _normal circumstances_ he could put it out within the time it takes to blink an eye. That was if all things were equal – hands bound or not. However, things aren't equal and the toxic smell emanating from him reminds him that even that small a flame could do him serious and permanent damage – being burnt alive the most terrifying.

Casey's stomach tightens as Gish looms in even closer; taunting him with the lighter. He lets out a small cry as the lighter looms closer to his gasoline kissed skin, a few little hairs instantly singeing and making Gish's gleeful smile even bigger. Gish's eyes widen as he leans in a bit closer, intoxicated by the smell of fear and gasoline; his mind racing with the delight that he was holding an innocent life in his hands once again.

"Time's up," Gish whispers as he goes to drop the lighter.

XXXXXXXX

"Where's the damn address!" Severide's voice barks into the phone, his eyes frantically scanning for any oncoming traffic as he blows through the light; his mind racing that Gish would succeed in taking someone else that he cared about in a most terrifying way. Shay's death at least was quick – a small consolation but it was the only sad reality he could hang onto right now. _Casey's alive…and from what I know about this guy…he likes to watch the mayhem he creates. He loves death and destruction. He's gonna burn Casey alive!_

"Antonio!"

_"I'm sending it to you now but…"_

Severide doesn't wait for the well-meaning warning he knows is coming from the anxious CPD Detective. Casey's life is on the line and he's the closest; Shay's voice urging him to _move it or else_! Reading Gish's history literally made his stomach sick but it wasn't until the public taunt about Shay from Gish that told him just what kind of demented psychopath they were dealing with.

_"Are you a firefighter? I thought I recognized you from the news. Terrible collapse a few months ago. Another firefighter was killed. Paramedic? Horrible horrible tragedy. Please accept my condolences on the loss of your paramedic. She was really pretty."_

It was so rehearsed. So cold. So daring. A bold statement spoken in public to a hurting man, meant to do only one thing – taunt. And it worked. It took everything Severide had inside in that moment to not tear Gish limb from limb in that moment. He had dared him verbally but physically…he held back. He won't make that mistake again.

_Damn bastard killed Shay! _

His fingers tighten around the steering wheel a bit harder until he feels small pains in his knuckles and has to loosen them in haste. _Come on move…DAMN IT MOVE! _His mind yells at the traffic in front of him before it finally clears and he speeds through another intersection. His mind replays all the events leading up to narrowing in on finding the person responsible for killing Shay and nearly all of them with her. Casey wasn't special to him as he and Gish shared no personal history. But much like Shay's death, Gish didn't care. He just liked to destroy. Property and lives. It didn't matter. He was deadly _and _clever, which is why he had flown under the radar for so long. It wasn't personal. It was business. But it _was_ personal and he had come up against a man…a team…a family that took Shay's murder very personally. And now Gish was the one being hunted.

"DAMN IT MOVE!" Severide shouts with anger as he lays on his horn, hoping to prompt the slow moving truck to get out of his way. It doesn't and so he opts to speed around, narrowly missing an oncoming vehicle. He mutters a small curse as the horn blaring rings in his ears before taking its time to dissipate.

He nears the location where CPD had triangulated Casey's cell phone and stops his car. The cold night air instantly perks up his senses forcing him to be even more alert. He spies what he assumes is Gish's car and then races toward the entrance of the little industrial building. As soon as he enters he's instantly hit with the pungent aroma of gasoline and diesel and his stomach lurches.

The smell alone doesn't disturb him as much as his senses finally pick up the added aroma of something worse – smoke! He hears what sounds like a small cackle and instantly his eyes look for something to take him…_STAIRS! _Down…he hurries toward the stairs, picking up a small piece of pipe along the way.

_This is for Shay!_

XXXXXXXX

As soon as the lighter is dropped, even a few meters away, Casey feels the flames instantly warm the space that he's being held captive in.

"Scream for me fireman," Gish taunts in a low tone.

"Go…to hell," Casey grunts as he tries to pull his legs away from the small licks of flames that have broken away are now eyeing him with a greedy gaze. The area is small, windowless and with no ventilation other than the narrow stairwell that he assumes leads to an upper level. _Kelly! Help…._his mind wants to call out, his legs kicking at Gish and forcing him to scramble out of the way.

"Now the fun part!" Gish declares with a haunting laugh as he smiles at Casey's helpless frame. "Time to die!"

"YOU FIRST YOU SICK BASTARD!"

Both Casey and Gish look up in utter shock as Severide's solid frame barrels into directly into Gish's – sending him flying dangerously close to the flames that are slowly but steadily making their way toward Casey's captive frame.

"Casey!' Severide shouts as he pulls a small pocket knife and hurries toward his trapped friend. He starts to saw through the ropes keeping Casey's wrists tightly bound overhead but is forced to stop at Casey's urging.

"Behind you!" Casey warns his friend.

Severide's lips utter a small cry as Gish hits him in the back, making him stumble forward. Just before Gish pulls Severide back, he's able to slip the knife into Casey's gasp. Severide lands on the ground with a small thud, but hearing Shay's voice in his mind urging him to take out Gish so he can never hurt anyone again, he brings his boots up and kicks at Gish, sending him stumbling backward, closer to the flames.

Casey's fingers fumble with the small knife but he bites back a few painful yelps as he feels the slick blade nick his skin in a few places. The smoke was getting thicker and the flames hotter in the small, confined space and his brain knows they are all running out of time. His lungs start to gasp for some fresh air as Severide continues to tangle with Gish. He pulls and pulls on the rapidly fraying ropes, hoping he'll have enough strength left to free himself and help Severide take down one of the city's most wanted men.

Time, however, isn't on his side. In fact the only side time is ever on is its own.

The flames manage to reach a small explosive device that Gish and sent and within seconds it ignites and sends a superheated blast in their direction, ensuring all three feel the searing heat of incoming defeat. Severide and Gish are knocked back to the ground in a jumble of aching arms and legs.

_'I love you…always'_

"NO!" Severide shouts as he brings his boot up and kicks at Gish, snapping his head back and sending him toppling backwards. Another kick and the vengeful arsonist starts to lose the battle. Another and it finally frees them both, making Gish's frame fall a bit closer to the hungry flames.

"For Shay!" Severide calls out as he kicks Gish one last time. This time, Gish pays the ultimate price. As Severide scrambles to get to his feet and get Casey's now limp frame free, Gish's lips cry out as the hungry flames rapidly devour his frame.

Not moved by remorse at all for Adrian Gish, Severide leaves him and hurries to finish cutting Casey loose as he knows he only has time to save one of them. There was no choice…no decision to be made. Gish was sentenced for his crimes and this time the punishment would not be commuted. He would die by the very means he had made others suffer for so many years.

No one would mourn him. Ever.

"Casey!" Severide shouts as he pulls Casey free of his bonds and then slings his unconscious frame over his shoulder and heads for the stairs, the growing flames desiring to take any part of the stragglers that it could. The fire today would go without seconds of human flesh.

"Talk to me buddy!" Severide calls out once more as he slowly climbs to the top of the smoke-filled warehouse; eyeing the exit doors.

"Severide!"

"Over here!"

Severide looks up to see Antonio and Erin rushing toward him.

"Where's Gish!"

"Basement!" Severide calls back, gesturing with his right hand before he hurries for the entrance; Mills and Brett waiting to take Casey from his grasp.

"Smoke inhalation. Burns…damn he's not breathing!"

"We'll take him!" Mills tells Severide with an impatient tone as Casey's frame is gently lowered to the waiting stretcher. Instantly CPR is started on the unresponsive male as Severide looks down at Casey's red cheeks.

"Come on…breathe…" Severide gently begs Casey. "I think he sprayed Matt with gasoline," Severide growls as the trucks finally arrive to put out the fire.

"He's not…" Brett starts.

"He's not going to DIE!" Severide shouts before he steps back and rubs his soot stained face. He feels a hand on his shoulder and looks at Erin and then Antonio in remorse. "Can't lose another."

Just as he says that, Casey's lips finally utter a soft gasp and all heads turn and look down at Mills as he tries desperately to bring Casey back to them while Brett tries to clean Casey's gasoline kissed skin with a fresh water flush.

Severide holds the Saline IV as they rush toward the waiting ambulance; Brett getting into the front to drive while Mills tends to Casey in the back. Severide texts Boden and asks him to bring some clean clothes for Casey to the hospital as his were contaminated with gasoline, forever ruined and would have to be dealt with specifically.

Casey's watery eyes flutter as he looks up at Severide with a heavy frown, Severide leaning in closer as he tries to speak through the oxygen mask.

"Gish is dead," Severide tells Casey who upon hearing that comforting news closes his eyes once more and sinks back into blissful rest. As soon as they get to the hospital, Casey is whisked away to a private examination room where his soiled clothing will be disposed of and his burns and smoke inhalation will be treated.

"Kelly."

Severide turns to see Boden walking up to him with a sympathetic expression. Boden gives him a hug of expressed relief before he pulls back and pats him on the back. "It's finally over. And I mean for good," Severide tells Boden in a soft whisper. "So much…damn so much pain Chief."

"Shay would be proud you all worked so hard to bring this bastard to justice," Boden assures him in a lower tone as Severide nods in agreement, looking at his superior with a teary gaze. "How's Casey?"

"Think they're gonna put him on oxygen for a few hours," Severide relates in truth as he takes the Boden brought for Casey. He talks to his superior for a few minutes more before he goes in search of his injured friend and roommate.

Severide enters the oxygen treatment observation room and looks at Casey in the chamber and the time remaining. During that time he texts Shay's sister and then his father; wanting both to have heard from him first what had transpired earlier.

_'How are you?'_

Severide stares at the words from his father and feels a small lump form in his throat as his eyes water. He starts to type and then stops as his eyes mist. He opts to call instead. It would be the right decision. "Dad…"

XXXXXXXX

_"All I wanna do is watch you burn…"_

"Ahhh!"

Casey's mind shows him a few tormented snippets before his lungs heave for their first full waking breath of fresh air in hours, the rest of the time until he'd been resting silently under the pain killers. Gish's face appears in his mind's eye before Severide's and he quickly struggles to fully awaken. As soon as he's awake he hears a nurse's calm voice telling him he's in the oxygen chamber with 30 minutes to go. His head swivels to the right and he looks over to see Severide pacing the short waiting area and then look up with a relieved expression.

The faint smell of gasoline still lingers and when he closes his eyes he's back in the small, confined space but this time he sees himself on fire. His heart rate jumps. Then starts to soar.

"Mr. Casey you need to just relax."

He hears the nurse's voice and then turns and looks at Severide walks up to the monitor to see what was going on. _You're safe now…just relax_ his mind tries to rightfully remind him. He closes his eyes and tries to think on anything other than the past few tormented hours. It's a losing battle.

When he finally emerges out of the chamber he looks down to see that he's wearing only a pair of thin hospital pajamas and his wrists and hands are wrapped to protect the burnt skin. His throat is still dry and his head throbs. But he knows that the few minor burns are nothing compared to what he might have had to endure had Severide not shown up when he did.

"Mr. Casey, you suffered first degree burns on your…" the doctor's voice trails off as Casey looks up at Severide with some torment and a racing heart.

"I smell like gasoline."

"We removed your clothes and disposed of them and treated the exposed skin as best as we could but the sun-burnt look will remain for a few days until the skin fully heals from the gasoline rash. You did ingest some gasoline so I'd suggest not eating…" his voice once again trails off as Casey's mind remembers waking up in his captive state and instantly knowing the dreadful feeling that had seized him from being sprayed with gasoline. _He did want to watch me burn._

"So I can go home?" Casey softly as the doctor looks down and frowns.

"We want to keep you overnight."

"But…"

"I'll stay here too," Severide volunteers in haste as Casey looks at him in wonder. "I don't mind," he adds as the doctor guides Casey to his room for overnight and then places a packet that contains some painkillers, burn cream and instructions on how to treat the gasoline rash and the burns themselves for when he'd be going home the following day.

"You don't have to."

"I know but um…you know after everything I don't want to be in the apartment alone tonight," he concludes somewhat wistfully. "Hadley…Megan…Gish…damn all of it."

"I can't have a beer tonight," Casey states in remorse.

"Tomorrow. A celebratory toast to Shay when we get home."

"How on earth am I to shower like this?" Casey huffs as he holds up his bandaged hands.

"Rubber gloves and duct tape."

"You rattled that off pretty fast," Casey retorts with a dry cough as Severide looks over with a small snicker. "Severide home remedy?"

"Shay," Severide's tone answers with pride.

"Sounds like her."

"And you couldn't argue," Severide reminds him as Casey nods.

"Nope. If you were dumb enough to try, she'd look at you and just arch those brows and you'd quickly backpedal," he gently snickers.

"And then ask if you can come up with a better idea and say no way my idea was so much better and that'd be it," Casey adds with a small cough as Severide's brow furrows.

"Today was a real wake up call. Came to close to losing another friend," Severide states softly as Casey looks at him in wonder. "Always thought Shay would be here you know?"

"Yeah…I know," Casey agrees softly as his lungs cough once more.

"Sorry man I should let you rest," Severide suggests as Casey tries to fix the blanket over his slightly shivering frame. "At least they washed your hair."

"You didn't want to volunteer?" Casey retorts with a brief snicker as Severide shakes his head. Casey offers a mock pout before he feels another cough coming on.

"Can you imagine if Shay got a picture of that?"

"It'd go viral," Casey smiles.

"Tired?"

"Sore," Casey replies frankly. "Can't do much," he sighs as he holds up his bandaged limbs. "Any ideas?"

"Actually…" Severide's voice trails off as he pulls out the portable DVD player that Boden had included in Casey's bag of clothing as per Severide's request.

"What movie?"

"Despicable Me. The first one. Remember?"

"Matt this is how you wear the 3-D glasses," Casey replies in his best Shay imitation. "That was a fun outing. Remember the ticket guy?"

"Uh…you three? Where are your kids?" Severide replies with a mock. "Shay was so pissed she was like…we don't need kids to see this movie. Kids. You're probably twelve now let us in. And where are the damn glasses!"

The two of them laugh a bit more until the movie starts. A few melancholy comments are made to remember Shay but both men know that she'd want them remembering the happier times so as the silly movie continues to play they each take turns talking about their fallen friend. The movie ends and Severide puts the DVD player away and then looks over at Casey who sleeps a few feet away.

He presses play on his phone and Shay's face comes to life. His eyes mist over as he watches her image talking softly. Severide looks over at Casey and then back at Shay, one word hanging in the still room long after both had fallen asleep…

'_always'_

**THE END!**

* * *

**A/N:** So I left some stuff out b/c it will come out in Plan B but I hope you all liked this angsty little one shot. Please do review before you go and thanks so much!


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